If I could add a food group to the guidelines...it would probably be...wait for it...NUTELLA. I have a slight obsession with this food and I don`t care who knows it!!
Last year, in Italy, my Dad and I found just about any excuse to use Nutella as a condiment. It was readily available at the hotel breakfast bar and I`m pretty sure I consumed copious amounts. Having told on myself, it is never a good idea to consume copious amounts of any food. So...do as I say and not as a always do! :)
Nutella is advertised as a mixture of hazelnuts, cocoa, and skim milk. While this is all true, we tend to overlook that one ingredient that helps make this spread so yummy...SUGAR.
Just like any other combination (and processed) food product, this one has it`s ups and it`s downs. It only contains a tad bit of calcium (4%) despite the promotion that it contains skim milk. It also contains only 3 g protein per serving....which is less than half of what peanut butter contains in an equal amount. The verdict? It`s not the nutritious big dog that the happy, family-centered commercials make it out to be.
But...as long as you know that, we can proceed! A serving size of Nutella is 2 TABLESPOONS...NOT 2 giant-heaping-soup-spoonfuls. In every food we can consume, we should practice moderation. For different macronutrients, this can mean different amounts. Same for when we break it down into food groups. Nutella is both a fat and a carbohydrate...keep that in mind and only eat a serving of it!
I had trouble finding a good recipe for homemade Nutella online. Many recipes used chocolate or sweetened condensed milk. I wanted one that sounded more like the original product. I had good success with the following! Suggestions? Try a different type of nut...such as walnuts or cashews! (Avoid pecans due to their chalkiness.)
Homemade Nutella
1 c hazelnuts, peeled and toasted
1/4 c cocoa powder (I used Hershey`s Dark...make sure whatever you use is unsweetened!)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp skim milk
Combine nuts and oil in a food processor. Blend until it forms a smooth, butter-like product. Add in cocoa and sugar. Blend again. Add salt and milk. Blend until smooth. Consistency should be less thick than peanut butter, but slightly thicker than molasses. Keep in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
*Sources used: my Italian breakfast obsession
